Ice Fortress
by Pororing
Summary: Before, Asuka harbored feelings of love for Judai, even if he seemed distant. It only took her one night for her feelings to change. Three oneshots in one story! One-sided JudaixAsuka.


**A/N: Oh, hey look, my first GX oneshot. I got this idea after listening a Korean song, as well as Asuka's feelings towards Judai in Season 4. This is set before Episode 162, but this is somewhat of a collection of oneshots as the first two is set before they got an idea of why Judai was distancing himself, and the last one being after the pair duel (heck, after the entire series).**

_**Ice Fortress**_

_Even as you say it's impossible_

_I look towards you as I used to in the past_

_Your ice-like soul_

_Exactly resembles this intense cold spell that doesn't end_

As Asuka walked back to the Obelisk dorms, she found herself staring at the Osiris dorm. Nobody resided in that little cottage called a dorm, except for one boy whose name is pretty much known in the Academia; Yuki Judai. At times, Shou and Kenzan would come down and beg and holler at Judai to aid them in the case of the confiscated cards, but he would just ignore them. Heck, he pretty much ignored everybody there is, and never seemed to step out of the dorm. The very thought of the happy-go-lucky boy turning into a bitter jerk nearly brought tears to the Obelisk girl's eyes. She then walked on, hoping to ignore the fact that her mind had continuously nagged her about Judai's condition. "Asuka?" A familiar voice said. "What are you doing here?"

For some reason, the voice made Asuka jolt and turned around to see Judai. As usual, he was in his serious mood. "Hi, Judai," Asuka replied sheepishly. "I was just passing through. Where were you?"

"Just took a nap somewhere." Judai simply said. The two looked on awkwardly, as if they never met. Then, Judai simply walked on back to the dorm, brushing off Asuka like she was some kind of rock. That was another thing that bothered her; Judai seemed to just spend all his time sleeping. Even if he wasn't tired at all, he slept. He didn't seem to want to waste his energy in dueling either, if Judai even _had _that passion for dueling within him.

The girl shook her head dejectedly, and continued towards the Obelisk dorm.

* * *

><p>Asuka couldn't help but chuckle to herself. It was oddly silent in the Obelisk dorm today, but Asuka figured that all the other students were out in the island chatting or dueling. Through her window, she surveyed the area, looking for the Osiris dorm, even if Asuka was trying to tell herself to stop worrying about Judai. Maybe it was because <em>that <em>feeling had strengthened during her years in the Academia. It was the same emotion that she felt upon meeting Judai. The blonde girl used to believe that this emotion was only temporary, and that it would be gone soon. Yet the exact opposite happened; as Asuka hang out more and more with Judai, she found this emotion to overtake her; the emotion called love.

Yet was it even possible? Sometimes, Asuka felt like kicking herself for waiting so long. She wished she had confessed her love a long time ago, when Judai was still the epitome of a free spirit. Now, things changed; the Dark World incident changed Judai for the worst. Shou had also told her about Haou, Judai's other side. Who was this Haou anyway? Asuka only knew that Haou was some sort of evil side. Maybe that was what changed Judai, on top of having to watch his friends die.

Yet perhaps there was a way for Judai to change back to that fun-loving soul that stopped at nothing for his passion of dueling. A boy like that…didn't deserve to become a shell of his former self. Asuka was sure that somewhere in there, was the Judai that everybody loved or hated. Just because he distanced himself, doesn't mean that life would leave him alone from now on, Asuka thought to herself. Heck, it was also their final year in the Academia. The last thing the boy could do is to enjoy every last bit of it, not mope around.

For what seemed to be the fifth time, Asuka looked through the pictures of past years that she had stored in her computer. Most of these pictures consisted of her friends, and some of them had her with Judai and that old-fashioned smile of his. Somehow, Asuka could change Judai back to his old self. If destiny favored her side, she would seize the opportunity, all to see that same Judai she knew. And when this opportunity should present itself, she would make her move.

When Asuka looked out of the window again, she saw Judai exiting the Osiris dorm, probably to escape Shou and Kenzan. The girl found herself grinning at the possible chance of love…yet what if his love wasn't meant to be hers? Asuka's grin then turned into a frown.

Yes, what if…just what if…

But it wouldn't hurt to try, either…

* * *

><p><strong><em>One year later...<em>**

Even if Asuka just lived in a small room in a large apartment, she didn't mind. It still took awhile for the fact that she was in America to sink in, even if she was here for about one month now. A black laptop sat on the wooden table, where Asuka usually did her work as a helper in the American Duel Academia branch. It was also where she could keep in touch with her friends besides the use of letters. Every few weeks, she would get a call from one of her friends, most of the time Junko or Momoe, and they would chat endlessly with Asuka even if she had work to finish. She didn't mind though, it was nice to hear their voices after a year had passed from their graduation.

Asuka opened the laptop, hoping to deviously return the favor to her friends, but none of them seemed to be online. Yet there _was _one friend who had a green dot right next to their name, indicating that they were online. The very same name that made Asuka chuckle, considering the fact how they even managed to set up an internet.

Yuki Judai.

Out of all of her friends, Judai was the one that Asuka didn't get a chance to talk with. According to her last conversation with Shou, Judai had a case of wanderlust; he never truly remained in one place, and seemed to travel the world despite his limited knowledge of English, and lack of any other language there was. Well, now that Judai _is _in one place. It wouldn't hurt if she would strike a conversation with him, right? A friendly conversation to catch up on things? Smiling, Asuka hovered over Judai's name and clicked on it.

_Beep…_

_Beep…_

_Beep…_

"Hi there, Asuka!" came Judai's cheery voice. "You're in America now, huh? Awesome!"

Asuka laughed, scratching her head. It sure was a long time since she heard the boy – or man – use that tone of his. Judai seemed quite older now, yet his trademark happiness remained there, like nothing ever happened. The girl tried her best to hold back her tears, as memories of her past times in the Academia started to return. "Hey there, Judai," She replied sheepishly. "I heard from Shou that you've been traveling around the world."

"You bet!" Judai replied.

"Well, how's it going?" Asuka asked. "I'm pretty sure that life is pretty exciting for you right now, seeing new stuff and all."

Judai nodded, and he started to tell her of many different tales about what he had done in his travels. Of course, Asuka listened intently and asked a few questions or so. The conversation reminded Asuka of the pair duels, the first time Judai ever seemed to smile after the Dark World incident, as well as the time that she had tried to confess to him. Anybody with a brain and shared her same interest towards the boy would have took that chance to confess, but Asuka didn't.

It only took her a few minutes to reflect on their friendship. Judai was passionate about dueling, not love. Every person he dueled he considered an amazing duelist. That was what Asuka would forever be towards Judai; an amazing duelist and friend, and seeing the duelist in that same old Osiris regalia of his, with that caring smile, were enough for Asuka to handle. Right now, she found herself more content to focus in her dreams, and with the fact that Judai was no longer an ice fortress that was heroic and protective, but bitter and distant.

And there was another little lesson that Asuka picked up after their little moment; a lesson that made her smile whenever she thought about it.

If you truly love someone, you would let them go, even if it pains you.

And that was _exactly _what Asuka did.

**A/N: Aaaand finish! How did I do? Tell me in the reviews. Happy Labor Day!**


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